Mistake
by teenage-dirtbag
Summary: One-shot. Lucas made a lot of mistakes before with Brooke and Peyton. Will he make them again?


_Disclaimer: I do not own OTH, or Chad Michael Murray, much to my dismay_.

Mistake 

Lucas could not believe what he saw. Brooke was kissing Felix, as if nothing had happened at Tree Hill Formal. As if Felix hadn't lied to her and used her. He was about to turn back until he heard Brooke say:

"I'm sorry, Felix. I can't do this." She said, while turning away from him.

"Why Brooke? I promise, I'll be different. I will---"

"Please Felix. Just, please leave me alone." Brooke said while standing up from the bed, and heading to the window.

"Brooke, please tell me something before I go." Felix said, standing up. "Do you still… Do you still…"

"Yes Felix, I am still in love with Lucas. Please… he's happy with your sister now." She wiped the single tear from her eye. "God, now I know what Peyton felt. Please Felix, just…"

"I know Brooke. I just want to tell you that I, that I really care about you." With that, he went out the door. He then saw Lucas standing there in the doorway.

"Man, how can you make three girls fall madly in love with you?" He said to Lucas, and grabbed his coat and headed out the door.

"Hey."

Brooke turned around and saw Lucas. She quickly wiped her tears away, and asked him: "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough."

"Listen, Lucas, what I said—"

Lucas went nearer to her. "Did you mean what you said to Felix? I mean, are you still---"

"God! Lucas, why aren't you with Anna? She must be alone right now. You should go to her," she said, while pushing him out the door. "You know, I could set a date up for you. Kind of like the date I set up for Nathan and Haley back then." She said while forcing a smile and a small chuckle.

"Brooke," Lucas said adamantly. "Did you?"

Brooke sat in her bed and broke down. Lucas sat down with her, with his arm on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Brooke looked up to him, and smiled. "Nothing's wrong. Its just that Peyton—"

"I know what's happening to Peyton. But this is not about her, Brooke."

"Lucas, she took cocaine! She's seriously depressed. What kind of best friend am I if I'm not going to be sad with her? And do you know? Your girl Anna, she's stealing Peyton away from me! Just like she stole—"

"Who?" Lucas said, caressing her shoulder, trying to calm her down.

"You." She whispered.

"Brooke, Anna never stole me away from you." He said reassuringly.

"Oh yeah, sure! Be in her defense." Brooke said, moving away from Lucas.

"Brooke," Lucas said in a whisper, "I was always yours." He leaned in and kissed her.

After that the moments were just a blur. Kisses and hands were everywhere, unable to deny the growing desire within them. Clothes were undone, fingers roaming, kiss getting more heated. Everything was bliss, just like before. For that night, it was like Brooke never hated Lucas, and Lucas never left Tree Hill. Until something that changed everything was spoken.

"Peyton." Lucas said subconsciously, in a low whisper. He didn't realize he'd said it. Brooke, however, did.

"Lucas, stop." She said, pushing him away.

"What's wrong?" He asked, caressing her face.

"You're not in love with me." She said with a sarcastic chuckle.

"Brooke, I am in love with you." Lucas said while going near her. He kissed her again, but this time, she didn't respond. Lucas stared at her, dumbfounded. What was wrong?

"Lucas, were you aware of what you were saying when we were, uh, making out?"

"Brooke," Lucas said laughing. "I hardly call that making out."

"Wrong answer. Were you aware of what you were saying?" She asked him, this time in a more stern tone.

"This cannot be happening. Look Brooke, if what I said was offending, I'm sorry. Now can we please—" Lucas said, while trying to kiss her again. She didn't respond. Lucas sighed heavily. "Look, what I was saying was only your name. What's wrong with that?"

"Do you know that the subconscious speaks our true desires?" she asked him.

"Well, yes. But why does that matter?" he said, exasperated.

"Because, Lucas, you spoke Peyton's name." She finally said.

Lucas was taken aback. "So what?" he asked.

"Look. If you don't want to make the same mistake you did before when you dated me but was in love with my best friend, I suggest we stop this right now." She said.

"I am not in love with Peyton, Brooke." Lucas said.

"Think it over. This time, I want things right." She said, taking her robe and leaving the room.

"Fine." Lucas said, and gathered his things. He dressed up, and went out the door into the chilly autumn night. Putting his arms in his jacket pocket, he walked down the road. Was he in love with Peyton? He knew he wasn't. Nathan told him that he needed to tell the girl that he loved his true feelings. Brooke immediately came into view. He realized that for the longest time, he hadn't been there for her, and they weren't as close as they were. He knew she was having problems, yet he couldn't bring himself to her because of Anna. For a moment, he was temporarily blinded by Anna. Yet at Tree Hill Formal, he wasn't with Anna at the end of the night. He was with Brooke. He also saw Peyton there. Then he remembered Brooke telling him that Peyton bought the dress she was wearing that night for her. He also remembered Peyton that night, although he didn't talk to her much. He saw her crying, but he didn't know why. Why was she crying? Then Lucas suddenly found himself thinking of Peyton. _She was right. I wasn't there for her before._, he thought. Then it dawned on him.

"Brooke was right." He told himself.

Lucas walked two blocks more to Peyton's house. He was not going to lose her again.

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"Jake, where are we going?" Peyton asked. They didn't talk much when she saw him, all he did was drag her into her car, and then they drove off.

"Why did you do it, Peyton?" Jake asked, never taking his eyes off the road.

"I was messed up, Jake. Really messed up. I tried quitting, and I will. This was going to be my last." She said, trying hard to prove her innocence.

"All the crap you've been going through doesn't justify you doing drugs!" he said angrily.

"Oh, as if you were here? You don't even know what's happening with me! You don't even know Jake! Yet here you are, judging me." She retorted.

"Peyton, I care about you. A lot. I don't want to see your life ruined!" Jake said apologetically.

"How did you know about the drugs, Jake?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"The guy was a friend of the babysitter. He saw a picture of us on display. Told me that you were his client." He explained.

"So you knew that it was drugs he was talking about?" she asked.

"Of course not! I thought it was he was some art guy. Then he told me about the drugs. I came here to see if it was true." He said.

"Well, here's your answer." She replied.

Jake stopped the car. He looked at Peyton, and held her hand.

"Listen, Peyton. I came here not just because of the drugs. I wanted to tell you something." He said sincerely.

"Shoot." She said bluntly.

"I wanted to thank you for moving us away from Nikki. I mean, Jenny means the world to me, and if she were to be taken away, I don't know what I'd do."

"Well, yeah."

"With Nikki gone, Jenny needs a mother. She's missing you a lot, you know." He said with a chuckle.

"Where are you getting at?" she asked him.

"Peyton, I wanted to ask you—"

"What?"

"To ask you—"

"What Jake?"

"To come with me. Help me raise Jenny. Be the mom that she needs. Peyton, What I'm trying to tell you is—"

"Jake." Peyton answered hesitantly.

"I love you, Peyton. Will you come with me?" he asked expectantly. "I know this is sudden, but, I'm afraid that I may never get this chance again. It's kind of like now or never. I choose now, Peyton."

"J-Jake. I don't know what to say." She said.

"Say yes." He asked.

She breathed in deep, exhaled, and gave her answer.

"I'm sorry, Jake." She said. "It's just that, I can't leave Tree Hill. I love Jenny, don't get me wrong, but, I can't. I don't wanna give it all up."

"I understand. I knew this was too sudden." Jake said.

"Jake, I love you. Just not in the way—"

"You love Lucas." He finished her sentence.

"This is not about Lucas, Jake. Please don't change the subject." She said.

"Peyton, denial was exactly the mistake you made the first time. Because of that, you lost him to Brooke." He said. "Are he and Brooke still—"

"No. He found this girl named Anna."

"You don't wanna lose him to this Anna, now do you?" he asked.

"I already did." She answered sadly.

"Well, the Peyton I knew didn't give up easily." He said, trying to encourage her.

"The Peyton you knew didn't take drugs." She said, almost crying.

"Well, she can come back. Set things right, Peyton, and everything will fall into place." He went near her, kissed her on the forehead, and hugged her.

"Come on. I'm not going back without seeing a genuine smile on your face." He said.

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Lucas saw that the light on Peyton's room was open. He then saw Jake walk out of her front door.

"Jake!" He greeted, and he ran towards him. They shared a brief hug.

"How are you, man? How's Jenny?" Lucas eagerly asked.

"She's fine. How about you? Peyton told me you have this new girl." He teased.

"Well, yeah. It wasn't what I thought it was." He said.

"Yeah man. Well, listen. Talk to her. She really needs someone right now, you know?" He said.

"And that someone isn't you?" he asked.

"Do I suspect a hint of jealousy in that tone?" He joked. " Luke, she needs you right now." He said seriously. "Don't break her heart, man. Cause I'll be coming back with a vengeance if you do." He said jokingly.

"Take care man." Lucas said, and he entered the door. He closed it behind him. He went up the stairs, and knocked on Peyton's door.

"Hey." He greeted.

"What are you doing here?" Peyton asked coldly.

"To listen. Peyton, please talk to me." He said while he entered the door.

"Luke—"

"I know you did drugs, Peyton." He went nearer, and put an arm on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry… I was just so confused." She said, sobbing. "With the rumors and my friends and everything."

"I'm here." Lucas reassured. He held her more tightly now. "I'm not going anywhere." He said.

"I just can't take it anymore Luke! I'm suspended." She said.

"Well, we'll be able to plead your case." He said.

"I mean, what's my dad going to think? He's going to be so disappointed! I can't give him that, Luke."

Lucas was now caressing her face. He held her tighter now, and for a few moments he let her cry.

"Did you know that Jake asked me to run away with him?" she told him, with a light chuckle. "He told me he loved me, and then asked me if I could be Jenny's mom."

Lucas stared into her eyes.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"I refused. I love Jenny, but I know that I don't love Jake. I'd be living a lie if I went with him." She answered. She saw Lucas smile a kind of knowing smile at her. "I mean, you know. I cannot give up my life here in Tree Hill. Even if it's all messed up right now. And Brooke! She really needs me right now. What kind of best friend am I if I wasn't there for her? And Haley, she really needs some gigs right now at the club. Nathan! I can't leave him too." She quickly explained, trying to steer Lucas away from the conclusion that was blatantly obvious.

"What about me?" He asked.

"Well, you," She started, "Um, you may need some help with Anna." She said with a laugh, yet sadness was evident in her tone.

"It's over with Anna." Lucas said.

"Well, um, I'm sorry about that, Lucas. Don't worry, the right one will come for you. " She reassured.

"What if she's already here?" he asked.

"Well," Peyton said, getting more nervous. She looked in his eyes. "It'd be stupid to let her go."

"I almost did." Lucas said, his face drawing closer to Peyton's.

"Well, you still have a chance right? I mean, almost is not never. Y-you should like take her to some place nice, you know? And talk to her, and tell her what you feel, and give her roses and everything, and—" She was interrupted by a kiss from Lucas. Not a kiss to comfort her, nor a kiss to stop her babbling. It was a kiss waiting to happen, a kiss filled with love.

With their faces still pressed to each other, Lucas told her, "I almost made the biggest mistake of my life tonight. I don't want to make that mistake again, Peyton. I love you, and I don't want to lose you again."

"You're the second guy to tell me that tonight." She said with a laugh, "And the only guy that I'm going to say 'I love you' to. So, Lucas," She said, smiling. She kissed him again, and said, "I love you." He laughed, and kissed her again. For that night, they just held each other, as if never to let go, taking the moment as it is. As the sun was rising, Lucas looked into Peyton's face. Sure, she was sleeping, but she was more beautiful than ever. He rested his head on hers, and closed his eyes. After all of the chasing, denial, hiding, cheating and tears, this moment was perfect.

Please Review! Thanks! Ü 


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